"No, it isn't this time. I haven't that excuse."
"Excuse for what?"
"For coming. Bella's all right. Bella's a perfect angel. God knows what's happened to her. I don't. I haven't had anything to do with it."
"You had. You had everything. You were an angel, too."
"I haven't been much of an angel lately, I can tell you."
"She'll understand. She does understand."
They had sat down on the couch in the corner so that they faced each other. Agatha faced him, but fear was in her eyes.
"It doesn't matter," he said, "whether she understands or not. I don't want to talk about her."
Agatha said nothing, but there was a movement in her face, a white wave of trouble, and the fear fluttered in her eyes. He saw it there.
"You needn't bother about Bella. She's all right. You see, it's not as if she cared."